OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects between anatomical locked plate combined with coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction and clavicular hook plate for treatment of distal clavicle fracture of Neer type II b.

METHODSFrom August 2010 to August 2013, 42 patients with Neer II b distal clavicle fractures were randomly divided into two groups as group A and group B. In group A, there were 22 cases including 14 males and 8 females with an average age of (44.2±11.6) years old. In group B, there were 20 cases including 11 males and 9 females with an average of (45.6±12.4) years old. The patients of group A were treated with anatomical locked plate combined with coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction,the patients of group B were treated with hook plate. All fractures were fresh, the time between injuries and operation was 24 hours to 7 days (mean,72 h). General information between the two groups was comparable before operation(P>0.05). Postoperative radiographic were followed up to observe the fracture healing,internal fixation and to measure coracoclavicular distance of two groups. Shoulder function after operation was evaluated by Constant-Murley score system.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up with an average of 16.8 months (ranging 12 to 24 months). There was no nonunion,infection and other complications between two groups. The clavicular stress fracture occurred in 1 clavicular hook patient at 6 months after the operation. According to the Constant-Murley score system, that the scores of group A were 90.6±6.2, 91.8±4.8, 94.7±3.6 and 97.8±1.2 at 1st, 3rd, 6 month and last follow-up after operation were higher than those of group B 74.8±3.4, 78.4±4.4, 82.2±2.8 and 94.6±3.6 (P 0.05). The fracture healing time of group A (21.6±2.2) weeks was shorter than that of group B (25.8±2.5) weeks (P 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in coracoclavicular distance at last follow-up (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe anatomical locked plate combined with coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction need not expose shoulder and can reduce the incidence of postoperative pain and limited activity of shoulder, with fewer complication, it is advantageous to the shoulder joint function early recovery.